interviews - Weyakin Designs

KidLit Connection: Getting to Know Illustrator Heather Brockman Lee

Posted on November 21, 2023.

Illustrator Heather Brockman Lee smiling for the camera in front of a bookcase. — *^{Heather Brockman Lee}*

I’m delighted to bring you another KidLit Connection interview with an illustrator I adore. This month, I chatted with Heather Brockman Lee, a picture book illustrator (and soon-to-be author/illustrator) and licensing illustrator. Heather’s work is whimsical and soft, inspired by nature and magic. She has three books she’s illustrated that are on the shelves for you to enjoy now (check them out on her website), and two more on the way this coming year! Plus, more in the works. In the interview, we chatted more about those books.

Heather has been the winner of multiple awards, including the portfolio showcase award from SCBWI in 2021. She is also a mentor through the Michelle Begley Mentorship Program as part of the Rocky Mountain chapter of SCBWI. Heather lives in Colorado with her family and when she’s not painting in her studio enjoys spending time outdoors and keeping active. Not surprisingly, she is a lover of books and animals.

I’m so happy to share this interview, as Heather had some great insights and fun behind-the-scenes peaks at her work and process. I hope you enjoy hearing from Heather as much as I did!

An Interview with Children’s Book Illustrator, Heather Brockman Lee

First, we’d love to hear more about you and your work as an illustrator. Can you tell us more about yourself as an artist of books for kids?

Yes! And thank you so much for having me. Books and art have always played a huge role in my life, and I feel so lucky to be building a career making books. When I am not working on a book that is under contract, I am usually painting and sketching for projects to send to my agent that will hopefully become future books. I also love to experiment and push myself with personal work, constantly trying to improve. I am very fortunate to know a lot of other illustrators and I love sharing work with them and talking art. My favorite pieces to make are ones that hold a little magic, and I try to include that feeling in realistic scenes also.

How did you first start creating art for children’s books? What led you to this particular career?

I graduated college with a BA in Fine Art, and I had some really cool jobs but they mostly centered around doing art for spaces that required wealth to create. This makes sense, because it is usually expensive to have custom textiles or stained glass made. But I wanted to make work that was more meaningful and accessible. I have always loved books and story so being an illustrator is a perfect fit, but it took me a long time to get started because I really didn’t know how a person got work in publishing. Finally about 7 years ago I literally just googled “how to illustrate children’s books” and that took me to the SCBWI website, which lead to me learning so much about the industry, and meeting my critique group, who have all been formative to my career.

Shop talk! Can you tell us more about how you work as an illustrator? What are the different ways you approach your pieces and various tools you use to create them?

This might be my favorite subject to talk about! I love working with traditional materials and doing a lot of experimentation combining different techniques and media to get the exact look I am going for. When I start working on a new book project, I think a lot about the medium I want to use to best express the mood of that book. The mediums I use the most are gouache, watercolor and colored pencil on a variety of papers meant for watercolor or mixed media. My current favorite is Arches 300 lb hot press- which is pricey but so worth it (and I can paint on both sides!) I also really love using textured papers and ephemera in my images. While the bulk of the work is done traditionally, I also use procreate on my iPad for sketching, and photoshop to edit or create digital collage from my scans.

I’m so excited for your next book that’s set to come out in May of 2024, WHEN YOU LOVE A BOOK, written by Kaz Windness (who I interviewed last year) and published by Penguin Random House! This is an extra special collaboration because you and Kaz are also critique partners. Can you tell us more about this book?

Yes we are so excited about this book! Obviously most people that go into publishing do it out of a love for books so it will be no surprise that books have meant so much to both of us throughout our lives. We have had conversations about books being friends to us when we really needed them, and when Kaz wrote the manuscript she asked if I would consider illustrating it. Of course Kaz herself is a very skilled and talented illustrator, but she felt that her style might lean a little too edgy for the project, and she also wanted the experience of being on the writing side only. I loved the manuscript and agreed immediately! We like to say it is a book about friends being books made by friends who make books. The book itself is a beautiful tribute to classic stories that shaped so many of our childhoods, and that many of us continue to pass down to our own children and grandchildren.

Since you personally know the author of WHEN YOU LOVE A BOOK, how was your experience illustrating this book different from other books? Was there a more direct collaboration than other projects? Or did you still work primarily with the art director without author feedback?

As you mentioned, Kaz and I are in a critique group together, so we are very used to giving and receiving feedback on projects. While we were getting the book ready for submission, we treated it as we do all book dummies in the critique group. She had great feedback on the sketches, as did our other critique partners, but was very careful to respond to my ideas as opposed to telling me how she would illustrate it. As a fellow illustrator, I really admire her restraint! I think a collaboration like this really needs to have a mutual trust and respect in the other’s skillset which fortunately we have. Once the book sold, the publisher treated us as they would any author and illustrator, with separate contracts, and my interaction was mostly with the Art Director Sophie Erb (who is wonderful to work with!)

What were your favorite parts about illustrating WHEN YOU LOVE A BOOK? In contrast, what was something you found challenging about the project?

My favorite part was collecting and using old library cards signed by children and collaged throughout the book. I found most of them on Etsy or Ebay, and just loved feeling that connection to generations of readers. I didn’t want to cut up the actual cards, so I scanned and printed them on a rice paper meant for printmaking. This allowed me to use my favorite sections more than once, and the thinner paper was easier to work with for cutting and gluing.

The most challenging part by far was trying to live up to my own expectations for the illustrations. I think most artists can never totally satisfy ourselves. I am really proud of this book though and I hope people will enjoy reading and looking at it as much as I did painting it.

You also have some other projects in the works, including another book you’re illustrating and your debut book as an author and illustrator. Can you tell us more about them?

Yes! Right now I am working on art for City of Jasmine, by Nadine Presley. She is a debut author (with more books on the way) and has written a beautiful book honoring her beloved city of Damascus. I am working closely with her and our publishing team at Harper Collins to bring her vision to life. This is another example of a less than common setup, as this is such a personal story for Nadine we all want her to be very involved in the creation of the art. It is scheduled to release in winter of 2025.

I am also working on my debut as an author/illustrator, about a little girl and her umbrella that helps her feel safe and secure, which will come out the following year, also with Harper Collins.

What is your biggest hope for your work as a children’s book creator?

My biggest hope is for longevity and to make a positive impact on the children who read the books. I love this job so much and never get tired of painting and stories. I want the books I work on to reach children and readers who will enjoy them, and hopefully some will even love them. I think stories are the foundation of our shared humanity and can bring people together in unique ways.

If you could share something with aspiring picture book illustrators, what would you tell them?

I think this advice is given a lot, because it is still true. Don’t try to be like everyone else, don’t just copy the most successful or popular trends. Really dig deep and look inward to figure out what you want to say to the world, and how to say it. Most paths to becoming a picture book illustrator are long and challenging, so it’s really important to be making work that you love and is authentic to you—because you will need to make a lot of it.

Check Out Heather Brockman Lee’s Books

Heather has three books out NOW for you and your family to enjoy! Plus, you can pre-order When You Love a Book to get it as soon as it hits shelves in 2024.

You can also ask your local library to order the books for you and your whole community to enjoy!

A Poem Grows Inside You. Story by Katey Howes. Pictures by Heather Brockman Lee. — *^{Heather Brockman Lee’s current books available now.}*

Hattie Hates Hugs. Words by Sarah Hovorka. Illustrated by Heather Brockman Lee. — *^{Heather Brockman Lee’s current books available now.}*

See More From Heather Brockman Lee

To learn more about Heather Brockman Lee, see more of her work, and stay up-to-date on the latest about her projects, visit her website and social media pages:

Heather is represented for children’s books by Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency.

Are you a published or soon-to-be published illustrator or author/illustrator who loves creating books about nature, animals, or the environment? I’d love to chat with you for a KidLit Connection interview! Send me a message.

KidLit Connection: Getting to Know Author-Illustrator, Sarah LuAnn Perkins

Posted on August 24, 2023.

*^{A spread from the picture book, On a Rainy Day, by Sarah LuAnn Perkins}*

A black and white self-portrait linocut style illustration of artist, Sarah LuAnn Perkins. — *_{A self-portrait by Sarah LuAnn Perkins}*

It’s time for another KidLit Connection interview, and I’m so happy to share this month’s author-illustrator. Sarah LuAnn Perkins is a traditional linocut and digital illustrator and author of children’s books. Her debut picture book, On a Rainy Day (published by Viking Children’s Books/Penguin Young Readers), which was inspired by the sounds of rain storms while caring for her own child, came out in March of 2022. Sarah LuAnn’s art style is unique for today’s picture books, but resembles that of classic printmakers through her use of linocut block printing and digital illustration that is inspired by it.

In this interview, Sarah LuAnn discusses how she got started in illustration, what inspired her current style of art, and more about how her book was made. Plus, we’ll hear a little bit about a work-in-progress and some inspiration for pre-published and aspiring book creators. Thank you to Sarah LuAnn for joining us!

An interview with artist, illustrator, and author, Sarah LuAnn Perkins

"Tea Party", a color illustration of animals wearing clothes having tea together. Art by Sarah LuAnn Perkins.

We’d love to know more about you and your work as an illustrator and author. What brings you inspiration and what are some of the things you love most about making books for kids?

I’m inspired by all kinds of things! There is inspiration for stories all over the place, even just the sounds you hear on a rainy day. I love books and stories and think they’re a great way to learn and connect and explore ideas.

I love making books for kids because it helps me to look at things more closely, or in different ways than I’m used to. I try to remember what it was like to learn or experience something for the first time and create from that space.

How did you get your start creating children’s books? Was there anything in particular that lead you to pursue it?

Ever since I was little, I wanted to be an “artist” when I grew up, though my idea of what that would involve looked mostly like on painting canvases in a sunlit studio. I also always loved reading, and devoured novels in all my spare moments… and then of course I would make fanart based on them. Books and Art, Art and Books, those were always my two favorite things. However, it wasn’t until I was looking at college major options that I fully realized that Illustration was an option, and the perfect combination of those two interests. It seems obvious in retrospect, its funny it took me that long to get here! But ever since I did arrive at illustration, I haven’t looked back.

Your debut picture book, ON A RAINY DAY (Viking Children’s Books, Penguin Young Readers), creates a fun look at the sounds and activities that can happen when the weather suddenly changes. Can you tell us more about this book and how it came to be?

The illustrated book cover for On a Rainy Day by Sarah LuAnn Perkins. A child and her father jump in puddles outside after a rainstorm.

ON A RAINY DAY took years to make–from January 2017 to publication in March 2022. There were lots of ups and downs along the way, but I’ll try to stick to the important/interesting bits:

I first got the idea for this book in January of 2017. I was participating in the Storystorm challenge, where participants come up with a picture book idea for every day of January. My baby was napping and I was appreciating the sounds I could hear through the window in my mostly-silent house and I thought, what if I could use sounds to tell a story? I had many other ideas already listed, but I was more excited by this one than any of the others. I was so excited about it that I wrote a rough draft that night.

It went through many more drafts after that, of course, and I took many breaks–I had my first baby in 2016 and my second in 2018, so I was consumed in parenting for months at a time and then I would find some time to work and make some edits, only to set it aside for a few more months again. Having little kids made working harder in some ways, but was helpful in others–watching my husband playing with our daughter directly informed the father/daughter relationship I decided to center the story on.

Finally, in early 2019 I felt like I had a dummy book polished enough to query agents. I signed with my agent, Adria Goetz, a few months later, and she had suggestions for even more edits which I got to work on. I took the partially edited dummy to the Rutgers One-on-One conference in NJ. There I met with an art director from Viking Books, Kate Renner, who loved the book and the edits I had started making to it, so once I had the edits finished Viking was on the top of our list of imprints to send it to. After a couple rounds of “revise and resubmit” (which also took months to complete… are you sensing a theme here?) Meriam Metoui from Viking made an offer for it–her first offer as an editor–in August 2020.

And then of course there was more revision, finishing the art, editing the art, finishing touches such as hand drawn text and endpapers… until, finally it was a real printed book I could hold in my hands and share with book lovers, just over 5 years after I wrote the first draft.

Thumbnail sketches for the picture book, On a Rainy Day, by Sarah LuAnn Perkins. Rectangles show small versions of the book layout to inform how the final book might look. — *^{Sarah LuAnn’s thumbnail sketches for On a Rainy Day before final art and layout.}*

What was your favorite part about creating ON A RAINY DAY? And what was something you found particularly challenging while working on this project?

*^{A final sketch for the cover of On a Rainy Day}*
*^{before the color version was created.}*

Ooh, this is really hard to choose! I do have to say, it was very satisfying to be at the point where all of the major text/sketch edits were done, and I just got to dive into completing the art. All of the difficult decisions were made, so I got to lose myself in the part of the process I have the most experience and confidence in. The biggest challenge was sticking with my story long enough to get it to that point!

The style of your work is inspired a lot by linocut and woodcut printmaking. Can you share more about your art processes and how you work?

In college I experimented a lot with different styles of illustration, especially in my campus job illustrating online courses. For every course I was assigned to illustrate I would think of a different style to use, related to the course subject if possible. I was assigned to illustrate a history course and I thought that a linocut-inspired style (done digitally) would have a old-timey feel that would fit with the subject matter. I had a lot of fun illustrating that course, but moved on to different illustration styles for other projects afterward and didn’t think much about it.

After graduation, I was working on putting together a portfolio that I could feel confident putting in front of art directors. I looked back over all the projects I had done while working on my illustration degree and remembered how much fun I had making linocut-inspired illustrations and decided to try that again for fun. I studied actual printmakers so I could get the look just right.

A black and white linocut print of Rapunzel dragging her hair in a wagon, shown with the inked linoleum cut, roller, and cutting tools. Art by Sarah LuAnn Perkins. — ^{The process of a linocut with Sarah LuAnn’s Rapunzel art.}

A linocut is created by carving around a design on a linoleum block. The pieces of the design that will be printed are left while the places where you don’t want ink are carved away. Ink is then rolled over the top and paper pressed on top of it to make your print. It is similar to a stamp, but larger. The carving process results in a texture and line quality that is distinctive.

I made a “digital linocut’ and loved it, so I tried it again. And again. And Again. I perfected my process to the point where I’ve had actual printmakers assume my digital work is an actual hand-carved print. I found I really loved the subtractive process, the bold shapes, and the interesting textures that resulted, so what I originally assumed was just a fun style experiment quickly filled my entire portfolio because the process and resulting illustrations were so satisfying to me.

After filling my portfolio with digital imitation-linocuts, I was gifted a small printing press from a local artist and finally had the excuse I needed to carve prints for real! Now I jump between digital and traditional printmaking, but my style in both is basically the same.

A black and white illustration of a bonsai tree with somebody reading a book while lying on a branch. Art by Sarah LuAnn Perkins. — *^{Sarah LuAnn’s process for creating a linocut print. From the digital sketch, drawing on the block, to cutting, then inking and printing.}*

A drawn and partially cut linoleum block by Sarah LuAnn Perkins. — *^{Sarah LuAnn’s process for creating a linocut print. From the digital sketch, drawing on the block, to cutting, then inking and printing.}*

You also have a new graphic novel you’ve been working on. Can you tell us more about that project?

Its still in the early stages, but I’m really excited about this story! Its about a house-cleaning robot who is not too pleased when its family adopts a cat. It has definitely been a challenge to shift from thinking in picture book terms to graphic novel terms, since the scale of the story and the way it is told is partially the same but also different in significant ways.

The Lonely Dragon. A page from a graphic-novel style spread created by Sarah LuAnn Perkins. A dragon laments that they are lonely, but can't stop being greedy.

What are some of the big differences you’ve found between working on a graphic novel versus working on a picture book?

With a picture book, I can hold the whole story in my head at once. Creating a written outline never seemed entirely necessary because the story was short enough that I could hold the outline in my head.

With a graphic novel, I’m finding that if I just try writing without having a full idea of where the story is going I get completely stuck. I thought I didn’t need outlines, but it turns out I actually did have outlines for my picture book projects, I just didn’t write them down. Once I realized this and wrote out an outline for my story things started working.

What other types of work have you done as an illustrator that relates to your work as a book creator?

My first job after college was working for Cricut making art for die-cutting machines. It taught me to keep my files organized and understandable for other people who might have to use them further along in the process. Working as a team and seeing myself as just one contributor to a project created by a group was a great skill to learn. Even though as an author-illustrator more of the process lands on me, keeping that mindset not only helps me work with my agent, editor, art director, etc, but it also helps me make things easier for myself down the line in the project.

A linocut inspired image of a mermaid trapped inside a fish bowl vase, looking out into the world. Art by Sarah LuAnn Perkins.

What is your greatest wish for your work as a children’s book creator?

Grandiose as it sounds, I want to change people through my stories. It feels really bold to say that, but as someone for whom reading books lead to important and life-changing realizations, I think its entirely possible. Books were and still are instrumental in teaching me to think for myself, understand other diverse experiences, and feel validated in my own experiences. My dream is to make books and stories that can do that for other people.

What is something you’d like to tell aspiring picture book illustrators and author/illustrators?

Give yourself the time and space to experiment, to find the creative approach that gets you excited and feels like you. Figure out who you’re creating for and don’t worry about pleasing anyone else–no book is for “everybody”. Find people who will cheer for you and get what you’re trying to do, and who you can also cheer for. Breaks are not only ok, but necessary.

Learn more about Sarah LuAnn and her work:

To learn more about Sarah LuAnn Perkins and follow her latest projects, connect with her online through her website and social media:

Sarah LuAnn is represented for children’s books by Adria Goetz at KT Literary.

KidLit Connection: Getting to Know Author-Illustrator, Denise Gallagher

Posted on October 20, 2022.

^{Denise Gallagher, author/illustrator of}
^Moonsong

I’m so excited for another KidLit Connection interview! This month, I had the pleasure of interviewing illustrator, author, and designer Denise Gallagher. Denise creates colorful illustrations with a folkloric style that tell stories through imagination, animals, and nature. Her love for animals and folktales really shine in her latest picture book, Moonsong (Little Press, 2021), where a young girl named Fulki befriends a tiger in order to save her village’s moon. Denise’s illustration style is truly unique, inspired by rare and endangered animals, folklore and mythology, and the natural world around her.

Denise lives in Lafayette, Louisiana, where she finds much of her inspiration for her art. She’s also the Illustrator Coordinator for the Louisiana/Mississippi chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her work has received numerous awards both for illustration and design. Denise hopes to inspire young readers and their grown-ups to find a love for art and literature through books and stories.

It was such a joy to hear from Denise. I hope you enjoy her insights and find inspiration in her words and her work.

An Interview with Denise Gallagher

First, I’d like to say thank you to Victoria for inviting me to be a part of her blog series. It’s an honor to share with you some of what I’ve learned along the way to becoming an author and illustrator of children’s books. So, thanks, Victoria!

Thanks, Denise! We’d love to know more about you as an artist and writer. What inspires you and your art and what do you love about your job as a KidLit illustrator and author?

^{Denise holding her copy of}
^{The Sorcerer’s Apprenctice,}
^{illustrated by Tomi Ungerrer}

I’ve always loved art and literature. From a young age I’d lose myself in picture books— imagining living in a little house illustrated by Garth Williams, or exploring the sorcerer’s castle as illustrated by Tomi Ungerer. Inspired, I’d while away afternoons drawing, drawing, drawing and writing as well. As an adult I hold the belief that picture books are a child’s first introduction to art and literature. The illustrations of Maurice Sendak, the stories of Kate DiCamillo — this is art! The type of art that inspires me to create. My heart is full knowing that I now am an author and illustrator of children’s literature and I hope that my stories and pictures resonate as art and inspire children and their parents as well.

How did you start working in children’s literature? What inspired you to pursue this type of work?
After graduating with a degree in art, which included creating a fictional children’s bookstore called Platypus Planet as my senior thesis, I went to work as an art director at an ad agency. After many years, I made the scary leap of starting my own business focusing on illustration. Part of my plan was to finally pursue my dream of illustrating for children. This meant getting serious about it. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and attended my first conference. I won the portfolio showcase and took this as a good sign. But while there I also realized that there was SO MUCH to learn about the business of writing and illustrating for children! I set about learning as much as I could. I joined a critique group. I gave myself illustration assignments. Then I decided to write my own picture book in order to practice the art of emotion, character and story in illustration.

Your latest book MOONSONG is a colorful story with a folktale feel. What inspired this story? Please tell us more about it!
“Moonsong” actually started as a practice picture book. My first draft was titled “Claire de Loup” and was about a girl and a wolf in the forest. After many critiques, queries and workshops, “Claire de Loup” became “Moonsong,” the story of a girl and a tiger in the jungle. I love folktales. The language and story twists fascinate me. So I set about writing my own. “Moonsong” tells the story of a little girl named Fulki — a little girl a bit like me. She does her chores and her schoolwork, but has a rebellious streak. She challenges the status quo. She befriends a tiger and shares with him the things that she loves. And in the end, her ability to see the best in everyone, upends the old traditions and helps restore her village’s moon.

A sketch from a spread from Denise' Gallagher's book, MOONSONG. A pencil sketch of a little girl talking with the people in her village. — *^{A sketch of a spread from MOONSONG}*

A full-color spread from Denise Gallgher's book, MOONSONG. A little girl talks with the people of her village. — *^{The final art of a spread from MOONSONG.}*

What was your favorite part about creating MOONSONG? In addition, what was one of your greatest challenges of the creation process?
My favorite part about creating “Moonsong” was also the greatest challenge. This was the lightbulb moment where I completely changed everything I’d already created and my manuscript became what it is now. I’d had little luck querying the story as “Claire de Loup.” I think the idea of a girl and a wolf in the woods just got lost in the shuffle. Then, I attended a workshop led by Leslie Helakoski, an author, illustrator and Highlights Foundation instructor. Leslie encouraged the workshop attendees to shake up our stale manuscripts and see them from a different point of view. I got right to work and reimagined my story. By imagining a new setting, revised characters and a bolder color palette, I got excited about my story all over again. I scrapped everything I’d done, rewrote the story and created fresh new illustrations. This time it worked and “Moonsong” became a published picture book!

An early concept sketch by Denise Gallagher. A girl hugs a wolf. — _{An early concept sketch of Claire de Loup.}

A pencil sketch of Fulki from Denise Gallagher's book, MOONSONG. A little girl drawn in a folkloric style. — _{An early concept sketch of Claire de Loup.}

Could you tell us more about how nature plays into your work and what role it has in your stories?
I LOVE animals. I love stories about them, videos of them, pictures of them. I love discovering an animal I’d never heard of — the more unique the better. Some of my favorites are the pink fairy armadillo and the pangolin. (Look them up!) I’m also concerned about our planet and the welfare of animals. I’ve mourned the loss of the ivory billed woodpecker (which was last seen in my home of Louisiana), the Tasmanian tiger and others. I hint at these themes in my writing, hoping to help children to understand the world and their place in it. Animals also play a big role in folktales and folklore. To me, that’s a perfect blend of storytelling.

You’ve also done illustration for children’s magazines in addition to books. Can you tell us about the differences and similarities between illustrating for magazines versus books?
The illustrations I’ve created for magazines have been to accompany short retellings of folktales. These typically include a large introductory illustration and a two or three smaller illustrations. I love the challenge of telling a complete story with just a few images. I also love researching the origins of the stories in order to include accurate details in my illustrations. These projects also tend to happen more quickly, so it’s fun to be able to share them with my audience. The publication of a book is a much longer process. It takes over a year at least and I’m really bad at keeping secrets!

^{Denise with her newest middle}
^{grade novel manuscript}

You also have some other projects in the works. We’d love to hear about them! Could you tell us more about what you’re working on?
As an illustrator, I also create magazine covers, festival posters and packaging. These are all fun projects that keep me busy in between books and allow me to work in different illustrative and graphic design styles. I am also currently querying a partially-illustrated middle grade novel. I never dreamed that I’d write a novel. But after finishing “Moonsong” I had an idea for a story that just demanded to be longer! I was inspired to write by my son who is a violinist. The manuscript is complete and I’m working on some color images and spot illustrations. I’m really happy about the story and I simply cannot wait for you all to read it!

What is your biggest dream for your work as a creator of art and stories for kids?

Maurice Sendak, one of the children’s artists that I most admire, worked in musical theater. My biggest dream is to also one day see one of my stories adapted as a musical theater production. I’m inspired by music and it plays a large part in my work. Both of my picture books use alliteration, onomatopoeia, and whimsical language to tell different musical stories. My novel is a magical tale about a young violinist in search of the truth about his past. Music fills me with so much emotion that to see one of my works musically grow beyond the page would be a dream come true.

A pink carousel with a horse and three dogs jumping around it, illustrated by Denise Gallagher.

What is something you’d like to tell aspiring picture book authors/illustrators?
One thing that is important for aspiring picture book authors and illustrators to realize is that getting a picture book published is NOT easy. It can be rewarding and exciting, but there is a LOT of work that goes into it and the process can take a long time. I’d recommend for anyone just starting out to do your homework. Join SCBWI and go to conferences. There are often local events for authors and illustrators that non-members can attend. Find and attend a critique group. Listen to what the group participants say about other work as well as your own. Follow authors, agents and publishers on social media, especially those whose work you admire. Social media is a great place to hear about the ins and outs of publishing. Publishing is a business, though, so be professional. Read. Read. Read! Especially current picture books. Spend a day at the library and take note of what grabs your attention. But most of all, put in the hard work. Take it slowly and don’t be afraid to fail, then get up and start fresh. Publishing really is a learning process and there is a lot to learn! Good luck on your journey!

See more from Denise Gallagher

You can see more from Denise Gallagher by visiting her website and social media pages:

An illustration of a smiling book holding a cupcake and saying, "Thank you"! Created by Denise Gallagher.

Are you a published or soon-to-be published children’s illustrator or author/illustrator who’s interested in being interviewed as part of the KidLit Connection series? If your work has a focus on nature, the environment, animals, or mindfulness, I’d love to chat with you! You can get in touch with me using the contact form on my site.

KidLit Connection: Getting to Know Author-Illustrator, Kari Percival

Posted on June 22, 2022.

An illustrated page spread of Kari Percival's book, HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM. Four children dig in the dirt and pour water in a community garden bed. — *^{A spread from Kari Percival’s picture book HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORK: A FIRST GUIDE TO OUTSIDE}*

In the second of the KidLit Connection blog series, I interviewed illustrator, writer, and environmental educator, Kari Percival. Kari has studied art, environmental science, and teaching. Her education combined with her work as a science teacher, running a local preschool gardening program, and experience as a parent has helped shape her unique perspective when creating books for children.

Author/Illustrator and environmental educator Kari Percival works with young children in the community gardens during her Early Birds Garden Club program.

Kari creates colorful woodcut prints that show dynamic relationships between kids and nature. Her storytelling inspires small children and their grownups to make a positive difference in the world through connecting with nature. Her picture book HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM: A FIRST GUIDE TO OUTSIDE (published by Rise x Penguin Workshop) is a perfect guide for preschoolers who love to get their hands dirty, play in nature, and learn all about how plants grow.

In this post, Kari tells us about the experiences that have shaped her work as an illustrator and storyteller and what inspires her to create books for children. I really loved hearing about all the interesting pieces of Kari’s life that have made her the book creator she is today.

Kari’s Interview

First, let’s talk a bit about you as an author and illustrator. Could you tell us more about what inspires you and what you love about being a creator of books for kids?

As my extended family is cleaning out old storage boxes, they send me these little picture books I wrote when I was a child, that they’d tucked away, that I hadn’t seen for 40 years. Little stories about nature, local wildlife, or my pets. When I was in grade school, I guess our teachers had us make books a lot, bound and covered in wallpaper samples. I could write and draw whatever I wanted in them, and I gave them as gifts to family members a lot. I guess when I write and illustrate picture books, its like I am still making and giving gifts out, except now its to the children of the world.

As an environmental educator AND picture book author/illustrator, how does each type of work relate to and inform the other?

Children and parents working in the community gardens at the Early Bird Garden Club run by Kari Percival. — ^{Children and parents working in the community gardens}*^{at the Early Bird Garden Club run by Kari Percival.}*

Teaching informs my writing, but also, my writing is motivated by my love of learning and my love of ecology, of a deep wonder and love for all the beautiful, vulnerable, magical and amazing life on Earth. I am an artist, but I went to graduate school to learn to be a science teacher. Although I love art, and it comes easily to me, I don’t think everyone should be forced to make art if they would rather play basketball or whatever thay love to do. But I do think its imperative that every young person learns about ecology, and biology, and environmental science, because every young person will grow up to be a voter and decision maker, and they need to know how we are all members of the web of life, and how our decisions affect all life on Earth. I worked as a science teacher in public schools for 10 years, and I hope to maybe go back someday, but I took a break when I had children, and that is when I started thinking of books I wanted to write.

How did you first get into creating children’s books? What made you want to pursue this type of art?

When I had my own children, I really enjoyed re-entering the world of children’s picture books as a parent. There are so many wonderful books, classics and new. There were also gaps: so many books I thought were missing from the shelf. I thought maybe I could apply my art and storytelling skills to making books to fill where I thought some gaps were. It seemed like a long shot, but maybe worth a try.

Let’s talk about the most recently published book you wrote and illustrated, HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM: A FIRST GUIDE TO OUTSIDE. Can you tell us a little more about the book and what inspired you to write it?

I’m an environmental educator and so inviting kids outdoors and learning to grow food – even just to learn where food comes from – and see how we are made of food that is made of sunshine and how we share the world with other living beings, inviting and empowering very young children to become immersed in hands-on outdoor learning, edible education – that is my goal with this book.

When my kids were small, I started Early Birds Garden Club, a meet-up for toddler and parents that wanted to learn to grow food at our local community garden. Though leading the group, I learned what questions toddlers had about learning to garden, what questions they had about nature, and what gardening activities they enjoyed doing. My cracker jack agent, Teresa Kietlinski of Bookmark Literary, suggested I should write a book on how to garden for toddlers. She knew that I would know just where to start, because I knew just what types of questions curious kids that age had. So then I wrote HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM. They say “write what you know” and that was true for me with this book.

A spread from Kari Percival's Book, HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM. Children dig in a garden and pick up worms. The text reads, "How do you say hello to a worm? Gently, very gently. Hello, Worm!" — *^{A spread from Kari Percival’s book HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM: A FIRST GUIDE TO OUTSIDE}*

*^{Kari’s sketch of the above spread prior to creating the final artwork.}*

What was your favorite part about creating HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM? And what was a challenge you had to overcome while working on it, if any?

Botanicals: I loved drawing portraits of plants! And I loved the “casting call” – creating and getting to know all the characters of the little children who garden in the book. I also loved thinking of writing the book from the perspective of what questions the youngest garden explorers would wonder about. A challenge was cutting images that I wanted to include. Cutting is the hardest! Originally, I wanted more of the pictures to contain lots of kids doing lots of gardening activities, but the design team focused each composition on a certain interaction with fewer children and more space for the words. And that was actually probably good anyway when it came time to produce the final art on a tight timeline!

You also have a new book coming out soon called SAFE CROSSING, which will be published by Chronicle Books. What is that book about and what can kids and their grown-ups learn from it?

SAFE CROSSING is an informational fiction story about a family of community scientists who volunteer with an amphibian migration team in springtime. They help salamanders and frogs cross the street to avoid getting crushed by cars. When they realize that more needs to be done to protect these small creatures, they rally their community to build a wildlife tunnel so even more amphibians can cross safely. The story models grown-ups listening to kids ideas around protecting animals from harm.

What is your greatest hope for your work as a creator of books for kids?

As a parent and a teacher, I know how – after a long challenging day when you have given your all, are running on fumes and you have no more ideas of what to say to your child or your students, – what a relief it can be to hunker down and read a picture book togther. I am so thankful to all the picture book creators who help caregivers and teachers explore interesting, wonderful or difficult topics with their children, with beauty and sensitivity and humor and honesty. My hope is for my work to give caregivers and children more ways to find joy and meaning together, and to honor their impulses to share wonder and love of our beautiful world and life on earth.

What is something you’d like to tell aspiring picture book authors/illustrators?

Work or volunteer regularly with children in the age range of your target audience, doing something you love. Read books currently being published in the genre (within the last 5 years.) Find a community of writers or illutrators in the genre you aspire to publish in. Connect with them and ask them questions. Join critique groups in organizations like SCBWI, 12×12 or take classes where you can share work in a supportive environments where you can exchange feedback with others. Use your best manners, experiment a lot, share your experiments, note what work you do that people respond most to, and do more of that. Read you book outloud to yourself in the mirror and to young test audiences, notice where eyes glaze over and then edit those spots. Enter contests, be humble, and learn, learn, learn. Develop effective time habits, and organizational habits so that when opportunity knocks, you are ready with bells on. Ask someone knowledgable to look at a contract for red flags before you sign it.

A page from Kari Percival's book HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM. Two children play under a play hut made from pea plants and have a tea party. The text reads: "But when will there be peas? See how the play hut is shady? See the flowers? See the bees? You'll see pea pods next." — *^{This page from HOW TO SAY HELLO TO A WORM explains to young children when peas will start growing in the vegetable garden.}*

See More from Kari Percival

You can learn more about Kari and see more of her work online. Check out the links and be sure to follow her on social media!